This blog is dedicated to 'quality'. I plan to include reviews, articles, views, news, jobs, etc. on quality. I’m part of the ASQ Influential Voices program. While I receive an honorarium from ASQ for my commitment, the thoughts and opinions expressed on my blog are my own.
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Saturday, November 13, 2010

By now many of you would have been hit by the new branding ASQ is pushing – The Global Voice of Quality. Based out of India and being a strong critic of the very American nature of ASQ, I am delighted with this change. I speak for many members from India when I say that this was overdue. Better late than never.

For me, ASQ was already global and only needed to recognize that it had more reach and influence than it thought it had. A part of this change is ASQ reaching out to its global members via a blog hosted by Paul Borwaski, Chief Strategy Officer of ASQ.

In his first post, Paul highlights a universal truth - Quality really does offer answers to what organizations most need. And then he raises a critical question:

What would it take to get the world’s attention to focus on that truth? What would it take to have the world realize the full potential of quality?

First things first – getting the world to sit up and adopt quality much more than it does is going to take time. And it won’t be done by one person, a few people, or ASQ alone! It needs consistent and persistent effort of millions of quality zealots. Like you and me.

The primary and perhaps the only way to make quality a priority and way of life globally is to be a role model ourselves. If we live a life around principles of quality, and encourage others to follow, chances are that more people will adopt quality principles. Very often when faced with moments of truth we desert quality principles. It is in these moments that we defeat years of hard work of people who believe and live a life of quality. Don’t accept poor quality and make enough noise when you are at receiveing end of poor quality. Also, don’t deliver poor quality as well!

I am not a preacher and will stop my discourse here…and turn to the question of how ASQ can become the global voice of quality.

To be honest, I don’t know the answer. I know maybe parts of the answer. ASQ will have to engage more people with better ideas to learn what it can do to become the global voice of quality. And I think by hosting this blog Paul is trying to do just that.

Global Voice of Quality – has three main pieces. Global, Voice, and Quality. The third piece is more clear to ASQ and its members than the first two. I will try to address the first two.Global and Voice – ASQ should be known and gain influence the way it does in the USA. How? By doing what it does in the USA? NO!!!

By being present in key global countries and workgroups and understanding what will it take to be the Voice it wants to be. Talking of India, we have one of the largest trained quality pools globally (atleast I think so). ASQ could aim to be the face of this workforce by being their voice first and they will reciprocate by being the voice of quality. To start off – ASQ can consider the following:

1. Have more organizational members and drive opinion through companies2. Make certification more important and appealing to individuals3. Fill the gap of a credible local Quality publication.

I can list a lot more and I am sure you can list a lot lot more. In terms of priority I think these three will help immensely.

ASQ needs to evaluate how global its current publications are. I did a quick search and find that Quality Progress publishes an article from an international member only in one in three issues. This can easily be corrected. QP can look at an International section. I would like to see a QP Asia or India one day soon.

ASQ can and must look at an India conference soon. Quality is a big community in India and has very few credible conferences or events. It’s a space begging for action.

I don’t claim to be an expert on this…and nor can there be one. We collectively can be. I welcome your ideas on this post. Will relay them to ASQ and be your voice with ASQ. That assurance you have from me.